Prayer & Fasting

Prayer and Fasting

First misconception

The notion that prayer mainly involves asking things from God. Answers to prayer are wonderful, but they are only secondary to the main function of of prayer, which is growing perpetual communion. To sink down into the light of Christ and become comfortable in that posture, to sing “He walks with me and He talks with me”and know it as a radiant reality, to discover God in all of the moments of our days and to be pleased rather than perturbed at the discovery - this is the stuff of prayer. It is out of the refreshing life of communion that answered prayer comes as a happy by-product.

Second misconception

To view prayer as always a struggle, ‘getting under the burden of prayer’, as we say. I certainly would not want to deny those times of intensity and difficulty, but I have not found that to be the most common experience. Nor would I want to minimise the sense of awe and even terror which we feel in the presence of the sovereign of the universe. And yet, the most frequent experience is one of lightness, joy, comfort, serenity. Even laughter comes at times, though it is richer and less pretentious (should I say more holy) than ordinary laughing. There is a feeling of companionship, though again is is of a different quality from the ordinary human variety. Perhaps it is that we are becoming the friend of God.

Third misconception

That we live in a closed universe, that everything is fixed. We think ‘sine everything is set tand God knows the end from the beginning, why pray?’The question is a good one. Perhaps you've had the frustrating experience of talking to and employer about some company policy being considered for adoption. Your employer may invite you to share your concerns and seems to listen intently. Then later you discover that the decision had already been made long before you entered the room. Many folk feel that way about prayer. But i the apostle paul is right that “we are God’s fellow workers”(1 cor. 3.9), then ours is indeed an open universe. We are working with God to determine the outcome of things. It needs to be said reverently, but it does need to be said - we are co-creators with God in advancing his Kingdom upon earth.

1 Corinthians 3:9 NASB95

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Fourth misconception

The fear that are faith will crumble if our prayers are not answered the first time, every time. As one person put it to me, íf God doesn't answer this prayer, it is all over; I will never be able to believe in prayer again’ It is the fear that causes us to gravitate toward vague prayers - then nothing happens to no one is the wiser. But suppose I walk into my office and turn on the light switch and nothing happens. Would i say “well, i never believed in electricity anyway!”No, I would assume something was wrong, and would set out to find out what it is. Perhaps the bulb is burned out or the connection is faulty. The same is true with prayer, and very often i have found is the faulty connection at our end.

Fifth Misconception

Prayer is the common teaching, Pray once! Any more than that shows a lack of faith. Now I understand the good intentions of people who teach this way but, very frankly, it flies in the face of a great deal of biblical experience and teaching, especially Jesus’s parables of importunity. We are to keep at this work, mainly I think because we are the channel through which God’s life and light flows into the individuals or situations. And, incidentally, I have found prayer to be the most helpful of the disciplines in freeing us from the monsters of the past because of the inner healing that comes through the hands of those who pray for use

May I call you to the adventure of prayer - nothing draws us closer the the heart of God.

The Purpose of Prayer

Why Pray?

If we desire intimacy with God.

to Know His ways

Hebrews 3:10 NASB95

“Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they did not know My ways’;

to know His Voice

Hebrews 3:7 NASB95

Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice,

Hebrew 7:3

A- There are two people in Old Testament who were called God’s friends.

Moses

Exodus 33:11 NASB95

Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

Exodus

Abraham

Isaiah 41:8 NASB95

“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,

James 2:23 NASB95

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

Jas

How is friendship formed, what is one activity or one thing that you do to know a person, that transitions a person from a stranger to a friend.

TIME, TRUST, Confidence (Faith)

I am not talking about facebook page, we have friends on facebooks that you have never met or have hardly spoken to.

B - The rule of thumb is - seek His face, not His hand

to seek his hand is to ask him to work for us

to seek his face is to want to know what he is feeling

Psalm 27:8 NASB95

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I shall seek.”

B

Some other reasons are:

If we desire guidance ( )

If we want more power - refers to Gifts & annointing

1 Corinthians 12:31 NASB95

But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

1 corinthians

Jesus himself encouraged us to pray along that lines

Matthew 7:11 NASB95

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Luke 11:13 NASB95

“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

Prayer is the sign of Faith

we turn to Him mean believe he is there

Hebrews 11:6 NASB95

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

We keep on praying means His honour is at stake: he promises to reward those who diligently seek him.

B - Those who God used most in Church history have been those who prayed most!

- Martin Luther said this: I have a very long day, I must spend not two but three hours in prayer today

we know how important another person is to us by how much time we give them.

Discipline of Fasting and prayer